I do not pretend even
to guess at the motives which induced you to fling aside not only the
most promising career in England, but one of the noblest of her titles,
I may say, sir--and I may speak for my fellow-citizens, the whole
million of them--I am deeply flattered, and gratified, that, whatever
your motive, which could only be an honorable one, you have chosen this
fair State as the theatre of your future triumphs. I hope I shall see
you beside me on the bench--unless, to be sure, you have higher
ambitions than the mere practice of law."

"The first men in the country have been lawyers," said Gwynne, politely.
"Why aspire higher?"

"Why, indeed? But I think you will. The law frequently leads either to
one of the benches or into the more active field of politics. And
you--with your enormous energies--you will never be content with the
law, pure and simple, no matter how brilliant a reputation you might
achieve."

"But honest lawyers are so rare!" exclaimed Gwynne, boyishly. "I do
believe I should be an honest one. That, at least, is the intention I
have set beside my ambition. I am ambitious, judge, as no doubt you have
divined, and the prospect of being shelved among the lords sickened me.
I wanted to make a career for myself, so cut the whole business and came
here where my American properties were. Besides, as it happened, I
inherited practically nothing with which to keep up my English estates.
There! You have my reasons, judge, and you are welcome to them. Titles
without money are mere embarrassments. Still, I really should have left,
had it been otherwise--I am certain I should. I never could stand the
inaction of the Upper House. Nor do I care for those compensatory honors
that my position and family influence might have secured for me. And now
I feel more the American every day. I have even grown keen on making
money--which I rather disdained at home; for the matter of that, thought
little about it. You may not know that I am--in partnership, as it were,
with my mother and cousin--putting up a large Class A building in San
Francisco?"

He inferred that there was little about him the judge did not know, but
accepted the interested "Ah!" and rhapsodized over his new interests.
The Judge listened with a benignant smile and a twinkling eye, every
once in a while giving the tip of his long fleshy nose an abrupt shove,
as if it impeded his breathing.

"Just so!" he exclaimed. "Just so! It is the Otis blood. N